Canadian OL J’Michael Deane retires

Canadian offensive lineman J’Michael Deane has retired from professional football.

Deane announced the decision on his Facebook page.

The 32-year-old played university football at Michigan State and was drafted by the Stampeders in the third round (21st overall) in the 2010 CFL draft. He played three seasons for Calgary before being taken by Ottawa in the second round of the Redblacks 2013 expansion draft. After spending three years with Ottawa, he signed with the Argonauts for the 2017 season.

Over Deane’s seven-year CFL career he has played in 102 games, starting in more than three-quarters of those outings. He won two Grey Cups, one with Ottawa in 2016 and the other as an Argos in 2017 to end his career. Deane had one year left on his Argos contract.

He retired because he knew he has no chance in this season. Even in Ottawa, in the 2015 and 2016 season, there a holding call every couple plays, and it was no surprise that everytime, number 64’s name was called out. Even if he was healthy enough to play, he wouldn’t be able to compete against these younger lineman, to a starting guard role, and last year he struggled to do the same. At least technically speaking, even though he didn’t contribute much last year, he won out as a champion, or at least a part of the team.